Vacuum container



April 22, v M, MYERS VACUUM CONTAINER Filed Dec. 20, 1928 Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNITED s'r 'rEs WARREN M. MYERS,OF SAGINAW, MICHIGAN VACUUM CONTAINER Application filed December 20,1928. Serial No. 327,365.

This invention relates to vacuum bottles or containers and the general object of the invention is to provide a thermos bottle or container within which liquids may be kept '5 in a heated or cold condition and from which they may be drawn off without removing any cap or closure, thus eliminating the loss of temperature caused by opening the interior of the container to the outside air.

l A further object is to provide a structure of this character with a tap or faucet and provide means whereby air may be allowed to flow into thev interior of the container to make up for the displacement of liquid due to the drawing ofl of some of the contents of the container. 7

, A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the lower end of the containeris provided with a draw-off faucet and the top of the container is provided with an air inlet valve, thus permitting the faucet to be turned on and then the valve opened so that the pressure will cause the discharge of liquid through the faucet.

7 When it is desired to stop the flow of-liquid the air inlet valve may be closed,thus stoppin the outflow of liquid and then when the out ow has stopped, the faucet will be closed. Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

panying drawings, wherein v Figure 1' 's a vertical sectional view of a vacuum container constructed in accordance with my invention i Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fi re 1.

eferring to the drawings, 10 designates the outer wall of a vacuum jar or container and 11 the inner wall thereof. These walls are illustrated "as being continuous or integrally connected but I do not wish to be limited to this. The two walls 10 and 11 merge into a base 12 which is hollow to continue the vacuum chamber 13 inthe base, this chamber being normally closed by a screw plug 14 or like "contrivance.

The exterior ofthe container is formed 5 with outwardly projecting flanges 15 between My invention is illustrated in the accomwhich a sheet of'nickel Or other metal may be placed or between which insulating material may be wrapped. The outer wall 10 is provided with the ears 16 apertured for engagement with a bail.- The bottom 12 i is formed with a central port 17 which extends laterally outward and discharges intothe bore of a faucet 18 of any usual or suitable character, such as are commonly found on coffee urns or the'like,

The upper end of the container isformed with a central passage 19 which, outward of the. chamber defined by the wall 11, is-enlarged and interiorly screw-threaded at 20. Engaged with these screw-threads is an exteriorly screw-threaded closure plug 21 which has a central bore interiorly screw-threaded and disposed within this central bore is a sleeve 22 in turn having a central bore to receive a sleeve 23 having a valve seat 24 at its lower end. Bearing against the under face of this valve seat is a valve 25 having a stem 26 provided with a head 27 at itsupper end and a coil spring 28 bearing against this head and bearing against the seat 24 urges the valve upward a ainst its seat. 3

When it is desire to open the 'valve, the head 27 is depressed by the finger, whereupon the valve will opento permit the entranceof air. This head 27 is normally disposed below the upper ends of the sleeves 22 and 23 but in order to prevent any .possible chance of the valves being depressed by anything resting thereon, I form the flange 29 of the closure or plugv21 with the outwardly projecting circumferential lugs 30..

The inner wallll at its junction with the bore 19 is formed with a packing seat for the reception of an annular packing ring 31. Resting upon this packing ring and pressed firmly thereagainst by the closure-21 is the head 32 of a tube 33' which extends 'downward into the interior of the vessel and discharges adjacent the outlet duct '17.. This permits the pressure of air to bear against the upper surface of the liquid column in the tube and causes the discharge of the contents of the vessel when the faucet 18 is opened.

Where the Vessel is to be used for holding cofi'ee, tea, or other liquidsin which there may this strainer bag being mounted upon a hoop 35 and the lower end of this strainer being connected to a ring 36 which fits closely around the tube 33. Thus, when it is desired to fill the interior of the vessel'with such liquid as coffee or tea, the closure 21 is removed, the head 32 is lifted together with the pipe 33 until the head 32 has been lifted sufficiently to permit the flow of liquid into the upper end of the strainer. The liquid is then poured in and the strainer strains ofi' tea grounds, coffee grounds or if the beverage is say lemonade, the seeds, which might otherwise pass into the interior of the container. WVhe'n the container has been filled to the proper'degree, the tube 33 is forced inward until the head rests upon the seat, then the closure is screwed home and the parts are in position for operation.

When it is desired to use the device, the faucet 18 is first opened, but-because no air is allowed to enter the-interior of the vessel, the liquid will not flow out of the faucet. Therefore, it is necessary to then press 011 the button or'head' 27 which opens the valve to admit the air. When theglass or cup is nearly full the valve 25 is allowed to close but the faucet is left open until the liquid stops flowing. Then the faucet is closed. By this operation, only a minimum change in temperature can possibly occur inasmuch as only a minimum amount of air enters into the interior of the vessel sufliciently to make up for the liquid displaced. It will be seen that liquid can be drawn from this vessel without removing the closure 21, thus allowing only the amount of air needed to enter. The temperature will thus be changed by only a minimum amount. It will be understood that the faucet remains open until the liquid stops its flow and then the faucet is closed.

While in the drawings I have illustrated a principle of m invention, I do not Wish to be limited to it as this may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. While I have illustrated the head 32 and the closure 21 as being made in two separate sections, I do not wish to be limited to this as the closure 21 and the head32 might be made in one piece so that when the closure is lifted thepipe 33 will come out with the closure, thus permitting either the entire removal of the pi e 33 from within the bag 84 v or permitting t e closure 21 to be lifted sufficiently far to allow liquid to be poured into the vessel and bag 34.

Fluid will-be at the same level inside the pipe 33 as exteriorly of the pipe and will hold enough li uid so that there will not be so much distur' ance in analyzing and inaspass downward within the masses the pipe 33.

I claim v 1. A dispensing container of the character described having an outlet faucet or tap at its lower end, a-removable closure for the upper end of the container which when removed permits liquid to be poured into the container and which when closed permits the inlet of air thereinto, an air valve disposed in said closure and yieldingly urged to a closed position, the air valve having a means where-v by it may be manually shifted, the closure having upwardly projecting bosses extending beyond the upper end of the air valve to prevent the accidental operation-of the valve.

2. A dispensing vessel of the character described having an outlet port in its bottom and a faucet with which the port communicates, the upper end of the vessel being formed with a central opening, a closure having screw-threaded engagement with the opening and having a central normally closed, manually depressible air inlet valve, the wall of said opening being formed with a seat below the valve, and an air conducting pipe having a head resting upon said seat, the lower end of the closure bearing against saidhead on the air pipe and holding it to its seat, the pipe terminating short of the bottom of the vessel.

3. A dispensing vessel of the character described having double walls, the space between the walls being evacuated of air, the lower end of the vessel having an outlet duct and a faucet communicating therewith, the upper end of the vessel having a central aperture, the inner wall of the vessel projecting inward to define an annular seat, a closure having screw-threaded engagement with the wall of said aperture but larger in diameter than the seat, the closure being provided with a manually depressible, normally closed valve whereby air may be admitted through said closure, and a pipe disposed below the valve and supported upon said seat and extending downward into the interior of the vessel but spaced from the bottom thereof, the closure at its upper end having an annular flange extending over the upper end of the vessel, the fiange being. provided with upwardly pro ect1ng bosses extending above the upper end of the valve stem to prevent the accidental operation of the valve.

4. A dispensing vessel of the character described having an outlet port in its bottom and a faucet with which the port communicates, the upper end of the vessel being formed with a central opening, a closure having screw-threaded engagement with the openmg and having a central normally closed,

manually depressible air inlet valve, the wall of said opening being formed with a seat below the valve, an air conducting pipe having a head resting upon said seat, the pipe terminating short ofthe bottom of the vessel, and a strainer surrounding said pipe and at its upper end having a hoop engageable upon said seat, the lower end of the strainer having a ring slidingly but closely engaging the pipe.

5. A dispensing container of the character described having 'a central chamber and an outer, evacuated jacket, the inner and outer Walls ofthe acket extending upward above .e'xtending' downward toward and approximately in line with the discharge opening at the lower end of the container, the air .pipe being removable when the plug is removed and being held rigidly in place by the plug.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

WARREN M. MYERS. 

